Renewable Energies

The European Business Council for Sustainable Energy (e5) is committed to achieving a sustainable energy future based on policy advocacy activities and the development of the renewable energy source (RES) marketplace. Increased use of RES is imperative for a sustainable energy future – and offers vast business opportunities. RES has enormous potential for improving the environmental performance of industry and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A variety of socio-economic benefits are indicated by RES development, including SME-centred business and employment creation, a secure energy supply, technology exports from EU member states, decentralisation of energy distribution, and efficient use of natural resources. e5’s members are engaged in RES industries such as wind power, solar energy, biomass, hydropower, and wave power. Sustainable energy engineers and consultants are another RES-focused segment of e5’s membership base. e5 encourages policy-makers to increase support for the “new technology generation“ based on renewable energy and high-end efficiency measures.

Statements and Positions

Position Paper on Renewable Energy (June 2004)
e5 encourages policy-makers to increase support for the “new technology generation“ based on renewable energy and high-end efficiency measures. We would like to provide the following recommendations to EU policy makers to facilitate progress to a sustainable energy future.

Renewable Energy offers a host of economic and social benefits: risk diversification and risk containment, purchase power in new markets, security of supply and technological leadership in core global markets. The Investment Security for Renewable Energies (ISRE) initiative is based on the desire of renowned international businesses to enter into a renewable energy-driven future. Attracted by the prospect of technological and economic leadership, these forward-looking companies are ready to take the entrepreneurial risk and face the entrance into the renewables age. Their prospect is the overall benefit of sustainable energy for the economy, for business and the society. Investment security is a central issue – and the initiative’s driving force. ISRE rallies the business community through a “coalition of the willing” and encourages policy-makers to adopt investment security measures as a crucial precondition for releasing the potential of renewable energies. ISRE’s supporters come not only from the renewable energy production sector, but originate in all sectors where business action involves renewable energies (modern communication, transportation, etc.). The ISRE message is simple: companies actively want to invest in renewable energy technologies, but they need a reliable policy framework to deliver the right investment environment. The first international Renewable Energies Conference, scheduled from June 1-4, 2004 in Bonn (Germany) will focus on the political future of renewable energies. The ISRE initiative will use the conference as a platform for presenting its ideas and strategies.

ISRE is an international campaign, co-ordinated with e5’s sister organisations in the UK, US, and Australia.

In 2004, the International Conference for Renewable Energies stood in the limelight of all renewable energy events. In the first half of the year, our activities centered on the preparation for the June conference. At the end of March, Sebastian Gallehr was appointed to join the economic delegation of the German Environment Ministry and attend a prep conference in Bangkok, Thailand. Gallehr had a valuable share in forwarding renewable energy expertise to Asia’s regional representatives. In the same year e5 published a Position Paper on the Renewables.

From June 1st to 4th, the Renewables 2004 conference opened its doors in the previous German Parliament building in Bonn. With the e5 café, e5 welcomed the numerous participants arriving from all around the globe. Located right between parliament and the business forum tent, the e5 café invited hundreds of guests every day to “renew-your-energy” and relax in the quiet and charming atmosphere of an old villa.

In addition to a restaurant with garden area, the café hosted a number of side events. In addition to e5’s event schedule, Dr. Emil Salim, Head of the World Bank Extractive Industries Review (EIR), used the café`s meeting facilities for a panel discussion. So did the delegations from Senegal, UK and Uganda and various groups from the Citizens United for Renewable Energy and Sustainability (CURES) network. The e5 café also hosted confidential meetings of high level conference participants.

Side events of e5 in the e5 café:

ISRE – Investment Security for Renewable Energies: Together with the sister organisations in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, and in co-operation with the European Climate Forum (ECF), e5 launched ISRE. More information here.

e5 Business Briefings – Up-to-date Information and Analysis: During the Renewables 2004 Conference e5 organized daily Business Briefings to strengthen the case for business and enhance the reflection of business interests in the outcomes of the conference.